Aeroplane.



J A HORNE AEROPLANE. Y APPLlcAnoN min Amas, 1917. y 13,969. Patented Apr. 10,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

New"

LA. HORNE. AEROPLANE. APPLxcMmN FILED APRJG. 1917.

Patented Apr, 15, 19119.

4 SHEETS--SHEET 3 f Juices/1701766 3 amm/Q5.

JAMES A. nom, or iinivvnr,V comme.

AEROPLANE.

1,300,969, Specification of Letters Patent.

v- To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I,-JAMES VA. HORNE, a citizen of` the United States, residing at Denver, in the county" of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of

which the following is aspeciication. v

Myinvention relates to new and useful plan and partially -in section,

` improvements in aeroplanes and more parmechanism an'd av novel and systemof controlling the propellers and the ticularly in aeroplanes of the biplane type, the primary object of'my invention being the provision of -a novel form of propelling more eiiicient transmission of power thereto. v

In this connection, one of the main features of my invention resides in the provision of bucket-like propellers arranged in -loody` Orframef10 built up' of pipe orrofd pairs, one at eitherside of themain body of the aeroplane, and in the provision of means for controlling transmission of power to the propellers so simultaneously, under normal conditions, or

either pair may be pair remains idle.- .Y A still further dbject of a pair of main supporting' planes and a pair of balancing or equalizing planes, and

`mounting both. sets of planes so that they f may be angularly adjusted, both' sets being i :arranged and controlled fori-simultaneous 40 jx; with 'these-miam Objects in' view invention will be more fullys described,

trated in the accompanying drawings, .and f' 4 5 movement. l

of my invention consists in providing anl or structure for supsets of planes .and which'is so arranged as to perm-it their' being tilted in any desired manner.,

ihnethen speciiically pointed out in theclaims which are yattached"v to nndform a part of this application: 5'

'Y showing .certain features inthe controlling mechanism of t'he propellers;

' Fig.'2.is a fragmentary view correspondillustrating the controlling Figure l-is a persp proved aeroplane; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view,kv

ing to Fig, 2,

vation;

sect-ions in the manner This mainframe includes a numloerl of diamond shaped frame sections 11 disposed with their major axes in a common lhorizontjal plane and their minor axes in a common :80

that both pairs may be driven" driven while the other 1 vertical plane, my invention resides in constructing an aeroplane having'- a stillfurther o'bjeetf` rest upon the round startin and a ighting.

ine' meel anism and its controlling system in ele Fig. 4 is a plan` viewof the aeroplane; Fig. V5 is a fragmentary view partially i'n illustrating the controlling means for the powertransmis sion;

Fig. G'is a` similar view, showing a modified form of controlling means."

'Corresponding and like parts are referred I to in-the following description and'indicated Patented Apr. raising Appucauonmed iipni2 a`,1x i17. seriai'no. 164,697.' f' i l A niechanismby means of which tilted; V I' l Fig. Bis a transverse sectional view lookrearwardly and showing the propelling "do in all the 'viewsof thedrawings by thef sz`tiie""'`" vreference dharacters. 1 v

` My improved aeroplane includes'a main .v

best shown in Fig. 1

these sections being preferably symmetrically spaced from' each other and heldin. suchspaced relation by connecting fram@J Sections tces of adjacent sections 11. Each of. tlhe i4. are exf 16, and beiitf outwardly spindles-for a pair of gaging wheels 17'. Lowerrframe lmembers* 5518 are connected to the lower end portions of' fthe extensions 16 'are curved upwardly and rearwardly to pro- *vide bumpers or runners19 and -at their rear andv at their forward ends 'ends ".proj ect horizontally and. have later-f 'ally offset spindles to'receive'rear ground engaging wheels sions -brace elements 21 and lare also'loraced to the "main frame sections 11 by 'diagonal braces v'22 so that the lower frame section, *with 'the vsupporting wheels provide -a suitable support for the aeroplane whenit is at 20. '.llhese rearward extenl 18 arefsuitably'braced by transverse'.

together and also facilitate its The orward ends or vertices of the frame v12 joining the upper verticesl .of the adjacent sections and; corresponding sections ljoining the: lower ver,-

viin

' horiaontally disposed, the rear sections '11 are formed to provide alined hubs 23 which -receive the hubs by set bolts 25.r the rear ends or' vertices of- Y carries the mainsupporting planes belng of point of pivotal planes against yond the outermost of `the frame sections 11,

as will 4 of the drawin Upper and lower rectangular shapedV balancing planes 29 have their end frame members connected by vertical braces or struts 30 and by .diagonally disposed braces l31 which, at their intersections, are formed to provide hubs which are journaled upon the ends of the shaft 24. The forward and rear edges of these planes may be braced or stilfened by vertically disposed struts 33, together with guy wires 34,

reference to Fig.

1n the usual or any preferred manner. In like manner, the l main supporting planes 35 are braced and held in spaced'relation at their corners by Vertical struts 36 and by diagonal braces 37 formed naled upon the ends of the shaft 27. Stop 4collars 39A and 40 may be applied to the shafts 24 and 27, respectively, to hold -the other than turning Inovement about the shafts. Furthermore, main planes at their front and rear'edges may be braced with struts 4l and wire braces 42 in the same manner as the planes 29.

Tail supporting frame members 43 eX- tend rearwardly from vthe main frame 10 and support the usual 'or anypreferred form of tail 44 which, at vits rear end, carries a vertically dispcxsed rudder 45 and a horizontally' disposed rudder 46, the former of whichl serves to direct the movement of the aeroplane to the right or left and the latter of which assists in causing' upward or downward movement of the aeroplane at the will of the operator. v

A hand lever 47 is pivoted intermediate its length upon a suitable bracket carried by one of the diagonal braces 14 of the -frame member and operates with al notched segment `48 engageable by the pawl of a hand latch 49. A cord, cable or wire 50 is fixed to the hand lever at a point above its support and at one'end exand is passed upwardly supported by and is secured to the rear tends forwardly about a pulley 51 forward braces 14 ley 52, and is secured about a to provide hubs 38 rotatably jour-- one of the edge of the upper balancing plane 29. The opposite end of this cable extends rearwardly, is passed downwardly about a p to the rear edge of lower main supportin plane 35. In lke manner, a second coi-, cable or Wire c53 is secured to fthe lower or, free end of the 47 and has one 29. T e opposite end of this latter cord or cable is extended rearwardly and upwardly pulley 55 located adjacent the pulley 52 and 35. Under these amount of movement of the lever. In like ward tilting of th v Asecond hand lever 56 is pivoted inter# mediate its length to coperate with a notched vsegment the same as the lever 47 and a cord, cable or wire 57 is connected at one end vto the lower free end of nerof the rudder 46.

the free end of the 45 anda connected to the lever 47 oint of pivotal support and to the ower o-rward corner of the rudder45. lThe two rudders 45 and 46 are secured to the rear end ofthe 'tail by a ball and socket joint 61 and it will, therefore, be apparent that forward swinging of the lever 56 will exert strain upon the cord 57 and correspondin ly slacken the cord 58 so that the two rud ers as' a'whole will be swung toward .the lefrt, verse swingmg of the lever. 56- will swing the rudders to the 'right to correspondingly direct the aeroplane. Furthermore, if the hand lever 49 is swung forwardly, to tilt the planes downwardly, it will ti the cord -60 and slacken upon t 'to cause downward rudders, which will4 assist indirecting the aeroplane downwardly,- while if the lever e cord 59 he rear edge of the pair of planes, with its upon the i tilting of the combined l a level position again.

, ner, if the lever form hands upon the the aeroplane opposite the direction in which he wishes to turn, but may also operate the rudder to assist in the turning.

lf, during its course, the aeroplane should start to tilt transversely, would be that the operator would lean toward the higher side 'of having his hands upon the wheel would turn it in that direction. As a consequence, this turning of the wheel would release the clutch through which power is transmitted to the propellers at the high side of the `aeroplane While leaving the otherclutch in active position to transmit power to the propellers at the lowside, so that these propellers couldact to bring the aeroplane to of control is absoapparent that this form that the driver liitely automatic, assuming has his hands upon of-control shown' in Fig. 6 is employed, if the operator has his levers ment of the aeroplane will naturally cause him to pull the proper lever in the proper direction to out out transmission of power to one-set of propellers or. the other which will bring the aeroplane again to levelposition. If, at any time, the operator or driver wishes to stop the propellers, without stopping his engine, suoli as would be the case in descending, he may do this by` merely pressing against and thus releasing both clutches, or it the the aeroplane and,

the wheel. In like inan- 103, any tilting movethe Wheel 99 to move the column longitudinally through its bearings the natural result ting off the supply of power to'either'pair :I of'buckets or to both pairs. 'A

2. In an aeroplane', a frame, apair ofpro' lt will, of course, be peller shafts journaled in the frame, one at *either sidev of the longitudinal center thereried by the frame, a pair of propeller buckets supported by the frame, one pair at either side of the longitudinal center vof thevframe, each pair of buckets being s upported -for simultaneous rotary movement about a propeller shaft located between them j and to which [they are connected and also for simultaneous turning movement about an axis arallel to such shaft t'o always present their open face in the same direction, means 'for transmitting power to the propeller lshafts to drive the buckets, and a' single controllingmeans for selectively cutof, a pair of propellers supported by each spective propeller shafts,

' drive shaft including intermediate and ter-v lever control is employed he may'4 do it by u swinging the lever 106 to the right.'

From the foregoing description, beapparent that both planes,

a `ein the main supporting A the equalizing planes, and the rudder `theterminal sections to the propeller operate together to determine whether the"` aeroplaneshall follow an 'ascending or descending course and that both the rudder' either one or VA said means including and the propellers operate in conjunction f to determine the'lateral direction of travel Jand to balance the machine against lateral tilting, aswell as to cause proper tilting of the machine lateral elements are all arranged-to be operated by natural movements of the driver, under the y when turning'a curve.; `The control mechanismy for these various levers whereby turning direction will act various conditions existing so that the con- V trol is to all' intents and purposes auto-` matic. ,Y

Although l have illustrated and described my invention in all its details of construction, it will of course the spirit of my ing , lever.

4. In an aeroplane, be understood that l` do not wish to limit myself to such details,

shaft to be rotated thereby, a compound drive sha-ft including alined intermediate means for transmitand terminal sections,

ting power from theintermediate to the peller shafts journaled in the frame, one at frame,a"pair of profrom the intermediate section to i either side of the longitudinal center thereof, a pair of each shaft to be rotated thereby, a compound ininal sections, means for transmitting eans for transmitting power from shafts, and means for preventing transmission of power from .the intermediate section to both of the terminal sections,

clutches controlling sections,

the transmission of power mediate. to the terminal sections, shipper levers operatively engaging the clutches, a column having a hand wheel, and a rocker inember fixed to the column and having arms projecting in. juxtaposition to the shipper of the column in one ber to engage one shipperk lever and turnd in the other direction will act through the rocker lever to engage a frame, a pair of propeller shafts journaled in the frame, one at either side of the longitudinal center thereof, a pair of propeller buckets supported by each shaft to be rotated thereby, a compound drive shaft including intermediate and .terminal sections, means for transmitting power from the intermediate to the terminal sections, means for transmitting power from the terminal sections to the propeller shafts,

from the inter-'- the other shipper` propeller buckets supported by ico 12oV l through the rocker memmember fixed to the either one or both lsaid means including clutches controlling shalts and means for preventing transmission of power from the intermediatev section to of the terminal sections,

the transmission of power from the intermediate to the terminal sections, shipper levers operatively engaging the clutches, a column having a hand Wheel,

column projecting in juxtaposition to the shipper levers whereby turning of the column in one direction Will act through the rocker member to engage one shipper lever and turning in the other direction Will act through the rocker member to engage the other shipper lever, the column being movable under pressure exerted upon the hand lever tobring the rocker member into simultaneous engagement .with both shipper levers to cause freeing of both clutches.

In an aeroplane,

supported for rotary movement, a pair of arms extending diametrically from and a rocker and having arms.

a pair of propellereach propeller shaft adjacent each end, pivot sha ts Journaled in the free ends of the arms, propeller buckets xed to turn there-with,

driving means between eac compound gear element and the adjacent shafts Wherebythe pivot shafts and their buckets will havea turning movement proportioned to. but disa compound either or neither. of the terminal sections to the intermediate section.

In testimony WhereofvI affix my signature.

JAMES A. HoRNE. [n 59.] 

